Luke 1:50-79
English Standard Version
Chapter 1
50And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever." 56And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
57Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
58And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,
60but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John."
61And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by this name."
62And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.
63And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.
64And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,
66and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.
68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people
69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
